Aeroplane wing



Feb. 12, 1935. H. A} DOUGLAS 1,990,473

AEROPLANE WING Filed Sept. '12, 1931 A1- R y type.

Patented Feb. 12, 1935 warren star as rare at term AEROPLANE WING HarryA. Douglas, Bronson, Mich. Application September 12, 1931, Serial No.562,557 4 Claims. (01. 244 -31) My invention relates to aeroplane wingsand particularly to wings adapted to contain a buoyant gas, and theprincipal object of my invention is to provide a new and improved wingof this In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming apart of this application, I have shown, for the purpose of illustration,one form which my invention may assume, and in this drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an aeroplane provided with awing constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in side elevation andpartly in vertical transverse section of my improved aeroplane wing,while Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view with partsbroken away, taken on the line -3 of Figure 2.

As illustrated in the drawing, an aeroplane of the monoplane type havinga wing structure embodying my invention is shown as comprising afuselage 1, having a wing 2 secured to the fuselage 1 by means oftubular struts 3 and braces 4, and provided with propellers 5 and with arudder 6 and elevators '7.

The trailing edge of the wing 2 is provided with the usual ailerons 8controlled from the pilots seat in the usual manner. As shown in Figures2 and 3, the wing 2 comprises a plurality of transversely extendingframe members 9 which are either cast or stamped from a relatively lightmetal, such as aluminum or duralumin, and which are provided with aplurality of openings 10 to reduce the weight thereof. Extending aroundthe periphery of each of the transverse frame members 9 is ahorizontally extending flange 11 which is provided with notches orrecesses 12 and 13 on the upper and lower edges respectively of theframe which are adapted to receive a pair of longitudinally extendingupper beams 14 and a pair of longitudinally extending lower beams 15.The beams 14 and 15 are preferably of T- shape in cross-section with thevertical flanges thereof extending inwardly toward each other, and whichreinforce the structure throughout its length. The outer ends of theupper beams 14 are curved downwardly as indicated at 16 and are securedto the lower beams 15 by meansof brackets 17. This construction providesfor tapered wing tips, as best shown in Figure 8. The wing 2 is furtherreinforced against longitudinal bending by means of a plurality ofdiagonal 1 braces 18 connected at their ends to the flanges of the beams14 and 15.

Secured to the horizontal flanges-of the beams 14 and to the horizontalflanges of the beams 15 is a metallic envelope comprising a plurality ofupper and lowersheets 1-9 and 20, which are-se cured to the flanges 11of the transverse frame 5- members 9 by means of rivets 21. The forwardedges of the upper and lower sheets-19 and20 are offset inwardly asindicated at 22, and are secured to a semi-circular sheet 23,constituting the leading edge ,of the wing. to The transverse frame.members 9 are provided with recesses 24 adapted to receive theoifsetedges 22 of the sheets 19 and 20 and asealing member 25-is preferablyinterposed between the edges'ofthe sheets 19 and 20 and thejcurved 15sheet 23 in order to provide a hermetic seal where the sheets are thusjoined. The trailing edgeof the wing is formed by a sheet 26 which is Vshaped in cross-section and which is offset} as indicated at 27, andsecured to the rearedges of the upper and lower sheets 19 and '20-byrivets 28. The transverse frame members 9 .are also recessed, asindicated at 29, to receive the offset portions 2'7 of the sheet 26 sothat the outer surfaces of the wing 2 will present a flush, continuoussurface. Packing members SO are-also interposed between the sheets 19and 20 and the offset portions 27 of theV -shaped sheet 26 in order torender the joints thus formed impervious to gas or moisture. f 1 j Thetips of the wing 2 are formed by sheets 31 of substantially V-shape incross-section which extend transversely of the wing 2 and which aresecured to the offsettransverseedges of the up,-

per and lower sheets19 and 20 by rivets 32. .Pack- .35-

ing means 33 are also interposed between the edges of the sheets 31 andoffset portions 351 extending along the transverse edges of the sheets19 and 20, in order to seal the joint thus formed. The beams 14 and 15are also provided with re cesses 35 adapted to accommodate the offsetjoints between the end sheets and the sheets 19 and 20,

in order to insure that the outer surfaces of the wing adjacent thesejointsare flush.

It will be apparent from the foregoing't hat I 4 have provided a wingstructure which is of streamline configuration fore and aft; which isprovided with tapered ends; which-isa Very light but rigid construction;and which is so constructed as to prevent moisture from entering theinterior of the wing from the outer atmosphere, or a buoyant gas fromleakingout of the wing, in the event thata buoyant gas is employed inthe construction. If it is found desirable to employ a buoyant gas inorder to diminish the weight'of the wing, F

such gas may be introduced to the interior of the wing through thestruts 3 which communicate with the interior of the wing 2 throughopenings 36 formed in the lower sheets 20. The struts 3 are preferablyprovided with flanges 37 adapted to be bolted to the lower surface ofthe Wing with an interposed packing 38.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious to those skilled inthe art that I have produced 'a new and improved wing construction. Itwill be equally apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodimentof my invention shown and described herein includes advantages otherthan those specifically suggested or pointed out, and further, that thisparticular embodiment may be variously changed and modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing theadvantages thereof, and accordingly it will be understood that thedisclosure herein is illustrative only, and that my invention is notlimited thereto.

I claim:

' 1. An aeroplane wing structure, comprising: a plurality of transversecontinuous ribs, each having a continuous'flange extending about theperiphery thereof; a plurality of T-shaped recesses formed in said riband bordered by said flange; a plurality of T-shaped longitudinallyextending members disposed withinsaidrecesses,the stem portions of saidmembers being disposed in the'corresponding stem portions of saidrecesses, and'the flanged portions of said members bearing against thehead portions of said recesses, whereby pressure exerted on said membersis transmitted to said rib flanges and distributed throughout said rib.

2'. 'An aeroplane wing structure, comprising: a plurality of transverseribs, said ribs being provided with a plurality of first recesses formedin the upper and lower surfaces thereof intermediate the leading andtrailing edges of said wing, and a plurality of second recesses formedin theupper and lower surfaces thereof adjacentthe leading and trailingedges of said wing; a plurality of upper and lower longitudinallyextending members disposed in said first recesses so as to be flush withthe surface of said rib, said members extending beyond said ribs andbeing joined at this point, and said members being provided withrecesses at a point spaced inwardly of the ends thereof; main coveringsheets extending from said second recesses ad jacent the leading edge tosaid second recesses adjacent the trailing edge of said wing, coveringsheets enclosing the leading edge of said wing and comiec ted to saidmain covering sheets, said connections being disposed in said secondrecesses adjacent the leading edge of said wing to present a flushexterior surface; covering sheets enclosing the trailing edges of saidwing and connected to said main covering sheets, said connections beingdisposed in said second recesses adjacent-thetrailing edges of said webto present a flush exterior surface; and covering sheets enclosing theends of the wings and connected to'said main covering sheets, saidconnections being disposed in the recesses formed in the longitudinallyextending members to present a flush exterior surface' 3. An aeroplanewing structure, comprising: a plurality of transverse ribs, said ribsbeing provided with a plurality of first recesses formed in the upperand lower surfaces thereof intermediate the leading andtrailing edges ofsaid wing, and a. plurality of second recesses formed in the upper andlower surfaces thereof adjacent the leading and trailing edges of saidwing; a plurality of upper and lower longitudinally extending membersdisposed in said first recesses so as to be flush with the surface ofsaid rib, said members extending longitudinally beyond said ribs andbeing joined at their ends, and said members being provided withrecesses at a point spaced inwardly of the ends thereof; main coveringsheets extending from said second recesses adjacent the leading edge tosaid second recesses adjacent the trailing edge of said wing, coveringsheets enclosing the leading edge of said wing and connected to saidmain covering sheets, sealing means interposed in said connections tomake the same fluid-tight, said connections being disposed in saidsecond recesses adjacent the leading edge of said wing; covering sheetsenclosing the trailing edges of said wing and connected to said maincovering sheets, sealing means interposed in said connections tornakethe same fluid-tight, said connections being'disposed in said secondrecesses adjacent the trailing edges of said wing; covering sheetsenclosing the ends of the wings and connected to said maincoveringsheets, seal-' ing means interposed in said connections to make the samefluid-tight, said connections being disposed in the recesses formed insaid longitudinally extending members; and said cover memberscooperating to provide an envelope adapted to contain a fluid. 1

4. An aeroplane wing structure, comprising: a plurality of transverselyextending continuous ribs, each formed with a rounded leading edge and atapered trailing edge to present a streamline contour, and provided witha flange extend-- ing about the periphery thereof, said ribs' also beingprovided with a plurality of first recesses formed in the upper andlower surfaces inter mediate the ends thereof, and aplurality .of secondrecesses adjacent the leading and trailing edges of said rib, said firstand second recesses being bordered by said flange; a plurality of upperand lower longitudinally extending flanged members respectively disposedin said recesses,

and having the ends thereof tapering andjoined to provide tapering wingends, and provided with recesses at a point spaced inwardly of saidends; main covering sheets securedto the flanges on said transverse andlongitudinalmembers intermediate the ends thereof; covering sheetsconforming to the shape of the leading edge of said rib'and secured tosaid rib flanges and' connected to said main covering sheets, sealingmeans being interposed in said connections to make the same fluid-tight,and said connections being disposed in said second recesses adjacent theleading edge of the wing; covering sheets conforming to the shape ofthetrailing edge of said rib and secured to said rib flange andconnectedto said main covering sheets, sealing means being interposed in saidconnections to make the same fluid-tight, and said connections beingdisposed in said second recesses adjacent the trailing edges of i saidwing; and covering sheets conforming to the tapering ends ofsaid-longitudinal members and secured to said flanges thereon andconnectedto said main covering sheets, sealing means being interposed insaid connections to make the same fluid-tight, and said connectionsbeing disposed in the recesses formed in said longitudinally extendingmembers, said cover members thereby providing a hermetically sealedenvelope suit able to provide a supporting plane.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

